Got a Meeting to Run Today?

Today's Scripture Verse Acts 15

Some of the most important times in leaders’ lives take place when they attend and/or lead meetings. Think about it for a moment: if we spend so much time in meetings, then would it not be reasonable to expect them to be enjoyable experiences? So many times leaders dread going to meetings. Why is that?

Leaders spend so much time going to and planning for meeting that
they should try to make them enjoyable, productive experiences.

One reason is that good leaders work hard in meetings. Discussions and debate take a lot of focus and energy, even if you are sitting in a nice high-back chair. Since meetings are hard work, we overlook the joy that comes from attending and/or leading a good meeting. However, another reason that we dislike meetings is that not all of them go well. Some know they are not going to go well before they even start.

I have been the chairman of a number of boards. Lately, I have begun my term in leading these by sharing my vision for the board. My meeting vision is this:

Our Meeting’s Vision

As team members, it is our aim to participate and have fellowship in God-honoring meetings. We commit our individual gifts and abilities toward fostering a meeting environment that we run to and not from. While we acknowledge the seriousness of our work, we endeavor to meet with a joy that is contagious and worth modeling for other meetings in our organization. In the making of our decisions, we submit to the wisdom of God and His Spirit who guides us.

Something Worth Preparing For

"The most important component in accomplishing the meeting vision is the amount of time the leader spends in preparing for the meeting."

I will be the first one to admit the above is quite a challenge, for getting folks to “run” to your meetings is almost too lofty of a goal. However, we as leaders and/or chairpersons of meetings need to have a goal. We must set our sights on something worth working for, something worth preparing for.

The more time you spend preparing for a meeting, the more
likely it is that the meeting will be successful.

Let us talk about preparation. The most important component in accomplishing the meeting vision is the amount of time the leader spends in preparing for the meeting. Read that last sentence again.

Some of you are questioning that statement. You are thinking just of the time it takes to create an agenda, and while that is part of what a meeting chair does, it is only a small part of preparation.

Ask a teacher how much he/she prepares to teach and compare that with the time you are spending preparing for your next meeting. Ponder the importance of each outcome.   I have chaired a couple hundred meetings in the last several years. Only by the grace of God can I communicate to you that, although this period contained many of the most serious subjects and debates, I remember only one “no” vote in all of that time, and that was on the only conference call meeting I ever led, a call I should have prepared for better.

What or how should you prepare? There is not enough space here, so I will only cover a small portion of what I teach, beginning with seven components detailed from the “Meetings Vision.”

Seven Components of a Good Meeting

Begin by determining what you should do before the meeting to insure each of these components takes place most of the time. Also, read Acts 15 to see how many of these components you see.

1. Fellowship: Encourage others and model fellowship by spending time with teammates outside the meeting
2. Participation: Specifically ask each person to share opinions during meetings, and meet with the frequent talkers outside the meeting to get their help in encouraging others to speak
3. Use of Personal Expertise: If you have building on the agenda, then make sure the builder on your board is good to go! Not sure? Talk to him!
4. Enjoyment – Laughter: Make fun of yourself first
5.  Seriousness: Have meetings for a good purpose. Identify topics clearly
6. Accomplishment: Always have a goal to get something done or agreed to.
7. Spirit Led, God Honoring: Spend time with the Lord asking Him to help you facilitate. Each of us has a sinful nature that comes to our meetings with us. Pray that it does not show its ugly face.

I hope I have given you some things to think about to improve your next meeting. Now, run, don’t walk, to it!